Revelation 5:3

And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

·        None of the fallen angels, nor satan himself, with all his subtlety, cannot do it; the creatures cannot open it, nor look on it; they cannot read it.  God only can do it.  (MH)

·        Someone above the order of created must determine the course of history; only God can unfold this plan. (DG)

Deuteronomy 28:12  The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand.  You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

Exodus 20:4  You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Revelation 5:2

Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”

·        This angel seems to come out as a champion, with a challenge to any or all the creatures to try the strength of their wisdom in opening the counsels of God (MH)

·        It is as if the strong angel looked through the entire universe to find someone worthy, and had not found anyone worthy to even look at the scroll. (DG)

Ezekiel 2:9  Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.

Psalm 18:3  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised….

Revelation 5:1

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

·        He is favored with a sight of the methods of His government, as they are all written down in a book which He holds in His hand (MH)

·        God holds the book in His right hand, to declare the authority of the book. (MH)

Isaiah 29;11  The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.”  And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”

Ezekiel 2:10 Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.

Daniel 12:s4  But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.

Revelation 4:9-11

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

“You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.”

 

Deuteronomy 32:40  For I raise My hand to heaven, and say, “As I live forever…

 

Daniel 6:26  I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.  For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end.

 

Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Revelation 4:8

The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within.  And they do not rest day or night, saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!”

 

·        The songs heard:  they adore one God, and one only, the Lord God Almighty.  They adore three holies in this one God. (MH)

·        The cherubim constantly repeat the phrase holy, holy, holy. God’s holy nature and character is declared, and emphasized with a three-time repetition.  (DG)

Isaiah 6:3  and one cried to another and said:  “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”

Ezekiel 1:18  As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them

Revelation 4:7

The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

·        Like a lion . . . like a calf . . . a face like a man . . . like a flying eagle: John describes four cherubim, each with a different face. From comparison with Ezekiel 1:6-10, we can see that each of the cherubim have four faces, and at the moment, John sees each one of the four different faces pointed in his direction. (DG)

·        The four different faces of the cherubim are often taken as symbols of Jesus as represented in each gospel. In classical church architecture, these four “characters” are repeated often as a motif that signifies both heaven and the four gospels. (DG)

Isaiah 6:2  Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Ezekiel 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.

Revelation 4:6

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.  And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

·        In this all those must be washed that are admitted into the gracious presence of God (MH)

·        Living creatures – four animals – between the throne and the circle of the elders (as seems most probable), standing between God and the people (MH)

Exodus 24:10  and they saw the God of Israel.  And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.

Ezekiel 1:5  Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures.  And this was their appearance:  they had the likeness of a man.